Impact of cropping system on soil nutrient status in ustochreptic camborthids in Punjab

A study was carried out to compare the soil health, with particular reference to its nutrient supplying capacity, as influenced by two cropping systems i.e. cotton-wheat (C-W) and rice-wheat (R-W) in Bathinda district of the Punjab state. The investigations have revealed that soils under cotton-wheat cropping system had low micronu-trient supply whereas those under rice-wheat system had low content of available P. It is, therefore, important to monitor the micronutrient status of the C-W area and P status of the R-W area for assessing the need for their application to sustain the micronutrient- and the P- fertility of soil to meet crop demand for the respective nutrients with a purpose to sustain crop productivity.